1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a storage tray assembly of the adjustable type, to be attached to a drawing board or like surface, and which is useful to support tools and the like in a horizontal position regardless of the angle of the surface on which it is placed, or to which it is mounted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One of the problems that faces persons using drafting boards and other surfaces which are slanted, is that there are no suitable devices available to hold or store pens, pencils, erasers, drafting instruments, ink bottles or the like when the table is slanted greater than 25.degree.. Various types of pencil cups have been provided, but they will all dump when the table angle exceeds 75.degree.. The trend today in design and use of drafting tables is for them to be used almost at the vertical, which results in the necessity of having another table available on which to store the various described articles.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 1,249,165 to Miller, is disclosed a supporting device for drawing boards and the like, wherein the supporting device is adjustable to provide for the desired angle of use of the drawing board. A tray 24 is provided which contains drafting materials, instruments, or other articles, however, the tray is not independently adjustable from the table and is subject to dumping the articles when the table angle exceeds 25.degree..
The U.S. Pat. No. 2,306,294 to A.M. Brown et al., discloses a tool tray for beauty operators, wherein the cross arm 25 is mounted to the vertical back of a chair by two hooks 40. The tray can then be moved a limited amount to remain horizontal. This structure is not suitable for use with a drafting board where the stored items must be at hand, which requires the drafting board tray to be mounted to the lowermost portion of the board, or placed on the board.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,273,846 to DeMore, discloses a draftsman's pencil holder and the like, which includes a plate 2 which is fastened to the edge of the drafting board, and supports a pencil holder tube 2 which can be rotated about the plate. This holder is not suitable for holding the desired articles, nor is it convenient in that it must be permanently mounted to the side of the board, which is often not the most convenient location.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,605 to Miller, Jr., discloses an adjustable tray for a worktable, which requires a traversing bar that extends across the table from bottom to top, and is engaged at the bottom on a rail type guide 15 that must be mounted to the table. The bar carries a flat plate 50 that is mounted thereto, and adjustable to remain horizontal when the table is tilted.
The Miller structure is complicated, requires a guide to be mounted to the table, requires a transverse bar that can interfere with the use of the table, and the tray disclosed would not be suitable for table angles close to vertical since the bar would not remain on the table, and additionally the tray can not be adjusted to a useful position when the table is at extreme angles.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,314 to Crawford, discloses a paint box and easel combination, wherein the box is hinged to a channel which provides an easel to receive a painting, and has a bail, which can engage in a plurality of notches in a rib in the tray for easel adjustment. This structure is not suitable for mounting to a drawing board and would not serve the functions or purposes required.
The adjustable storage tray assembly of my invention is suitable for a variety of slanted surfaces, and is adjustable to retain articles thereon in a horizontal position when the board is in various inclined positions including vertical.